24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
R
Campfire Member
OP Online Content
Campfire Member
R
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
I recently purchased a Carl Gustaf stamped 1907 in 6.5x55. I am new to mausers but the gun was so beautiful I just couldn’t resist. It has been customized by the previous owner to have a mannlicher stock. I have read and heard that you have to be careful what factory ammunition to load into these old guns. So I guess my question is: what ammo is safe to load into this rifle? I have bought federal fusion 140gr and S&B 131gr. I really don’t want to have to reload this rifle but I will if I have to

Thanks for any help!


Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Originally Posted by Rlhunter0403
I recently purchased a Carl Gustaf stamped 1907 in 6.5x55. I am new to mausers but the gun was so beautiful I just couldn’t resist. It has been customized by the previous owner to have a mannlicher stock. I have read and heard that you have to be careful what factory ammunition to load into these old guns. So I guess my question is: what ammo is safe to load into this rifle? I have bought federal fusion 140gr and S&B 131gr. I really don’t want to have to reload this rifle but I will if I have to

Thanks for any help!


The Swedes built the best pre-1898 style military Mausers in all aspects, so if your rifle is in good condition it should be safe with factory ammo. The most negative characteristic of the Swedish military Mausers is that they don't handle escaping gas as well as 1898 style Mausers if you pierce a primer or have a separated case. If your rifle has already been sporterized, I'd suggest swapping the trigger out for a BOLD or Timney unit with an integral safety and a commercial style bolt shroud with a larger gas shield. I've reworked more than a dozen Swedish military Mausers, but mine were almost all 1942/43 Model 38 Husqvarnas.

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
R
Campfire Member
OP Online Content
Campfire Member
R
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
Thanks for your help! I have already thought about buying a new trigger or working the trigger as it is a little stiff. The rifle is in excellent condition so it should be fine to shoot right?

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Originally Posted by Rlhunter0403
Thanks for your help! I have already thought about buying a new trigger or working the trigger as it is a little stiff. The rifle is in excellent condition so it should be fine to shoot right?


If you have any questions about its safety, you should have it inspected by a competent gunsmith.

When I rework a Swedish military Mauser I always do the following 3 things:

1. Replace the trigger with a Bold or TImney unit with an integral safety.
2. Replace the bolt shroud with a commercial style bolt shroud with a larger gas shield.
3. Install a Dayton-Traister cock-on-opening kit.

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
R
Campfire Member
OP Online Content
Campfire Member
R
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
Thanks for your help. I’ll check into all of those suggestions

IC B2

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
R
Campfire Member
OP Online Content
Campfire Member
R
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
https://share.icloud.com/photos/06XuCpjT6xLY5b5rMHUA_ji3Q

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0HAoLrbovRjRO5Fdf4g_bCX4w

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0fMS0vPUakPiOeZaqxX3PtmgQ

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0q8-WACSOd0oWNJbR9nrjQsyA

These are links to some pics I have of it. It looks like the safety has already been “modernized” but I am not entirely sure. I hate that I know so little about these types of rifles but like I said I loved the way it looked so much I just had to buy it.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
It is a nice looking rifle.

The safety lever has been replace with what is generally referred to as a "Buehler" style safety.

As previously noted, the primary weakness in the small-ring pre-1898 style Mausers is their gas handling. Replacing the bolt shroud with a commercial style bolt shroud with a larger gas shield goes a long way toward off-setting that weakness. If your 'smith installs a commercial style bolt shroud, he would need to replace the trigger with a unit with an integrated safety. I think that I've purchased the commercial style bolt shrouds from Brownells and MidwayUSA.

If I had seen that rifle for sale, I'd have been tempted 'cause I really like to look at well done mannlicher style stocks.

Joined: May 2008
Posts: 546
W
Campfire Regular
Online Content
Campfire Regular
W
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 546
NICE NICE I hunt white tail with 6.5 x 55 swede Most over the counter ammo is good to go in one ,but selection is a little limited around here . Most stores stock 140 gr and I like a little lighter 129 gr or so . 2 of mine did not like S&B but the others had no problem

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
R
Campfire Member
OP Online Content
Campfire Member
R
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
Thanks for the help guys this all makes me very excited for deer season. Our gun season here in NC comes in early October. I’ll see if I can find someone to give it a look before then. I will shop the bolt shroud and trigger to see what I can come up with. Yeh I am a big fan of well done mannlicher stocks. Some might call me a sucker for em. Since I only paid $250 for this gun I certainly don’t mind spending some money to upgrade it.

Thanks again 260remguy and wa11

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Originally Posted by Rlhunter0403
Thanks for the help guys this all makes me very excited for deer season. Our gun season here in NC comes in early October. I’ll see if I can find someone to give it a look before then. I will shop the bolt shroud and trigger to see what I can come up with. Yeh I am a big fan of well done mannlicher stocks. Some might call me a sucker for em. Since I only paid $250 for this gun I certainly don’t mind spending some money to upgrade it.

Thanks again 260remguy and wa11


Replacing the bolt shroud is like buying insurance, in that you hope that you'll never need it, but it gives you peace of mind when you do have it.

Installing the Dayton- Traister cock-on-opening kit isn't necessary, but I prefer cock-on-opening to cock-on-closing, so I install them on my Sweds and on my Norwegian bachelor farmer friend's Sweds.

PPU sells an inexpensive 139 grain soft point that some 6.5x55 shooters seem to like.

Finding a Bold or Timney replacement trigger is easy, finding the bolt shroud maybe a little less so.

I would have bought that rifle for $250 without a second thought even though I already have 11 6.5x55s.


IC B3

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
R
Campfire Member
OP Online Content
Campfire Member
R
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
This is my first one but I get the feeling that it is the first of many. Do you happen to know what the twist rate is on these rifles?

I have heard from a lot of people that the ppu is a good cheap option. Thanks again for your input it is a tremendous help

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
I think that the ROT is around 1-8.5". They are measured in millimeters, not inches, but I think that 1-8.5" is close.

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,492
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,492
It's more like 1-7.75"


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
I've seen the ROT for Swedish Mausers listed as being 1 turn in 200mm (7.87") and also 1 turn in 220mm (8.66").

The original barrels on my M38 Husqvarnas measure about 8.5". Maybe the M38 were made with a slower ROT because the Swedish military was shooting shorter/lighter bullets than those that they started with in the 1890's.

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 50
Campfire Greenhorn
Offline
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 50
The Hornady 160 round nose soft point is listed at 2500 fps from a 24" barrel and would be great for deer. I hunt with 158 Norma Alaska RNSP loaded to go 2150 from my M/1894-14 which has a 17.7" barrel. It simply slays white tail, you will not be disappointed!

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,463
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,463
I shot a few deer with 160 grain Norma factory ammo 30 years ago. I really like the round.

Having said that, don't even think about hot rodding the ammo. I wasn't reloading then and factory ammo basically created a headspace issue in my Swede.
I eventually had a pierced primer and a gas leak which was deflected by the Mauser 96 system but it did lock the cocking piece rearward.

I believe it was Hanson ammo that was loaded too hot at the factory but the Norma stuff was pretty stiff back then too.

Scary day at the range that day.

Dan

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,029
Originally Posted by Dantheman
I shot a few deer with 160 grain Norma factory ammo 30 years ago. I really like the round.

Having said that, don't even think about hot rodding the ammo. I wasn't reloading then and factory ammo basically created a headspace issue in my Swede.
I eventually had a pierced primer and a gas leak which was deflected by the Mauser 96 system but it did lock the cocking piece rearward.

I believe it was Hanson ammo that was loaded too hot at the factory but the Norma stuff was pretty stiff back then too.

Scary day at the range that day.

Dan


I can't remember if it was Hansen or PMC, but some company made some 6.5x55 ammo that wouldn't chamber in the Remington 700 Classic from 1994.

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,141
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,141
I was in the Fargo Scheels and Cabelas last month. Not one single box of 6.5 Swede between them. Not. One. Box.


It takes a village to raise an idiot.
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
R
Campfire Member
OP Online Content
Campfire Member
R
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 432
So the pursuit for the commercial bolt shroud has proved more difficult than I imagined. Will the large ring mauser bolt shroud work for my rifle? I have found plenty of those at Brownells.

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 36,822
D
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
D
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 36,822
Originally Posted by Rlhunter0403
So the pursuit for the commercial bolt shroud has proved more difficult than I imagined. Will the large ring mauser bolt shroud work for my rifle? I have found plenty of those at Brownells.

Check with Jkob, Fire contributor and master Mauser smith. Send him a PM.

DF

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
636 members (007FJ, 01Foreman400, 222ND, 160user, 1234, 1lessdog, 68 invisible), 2,800 guests, and 1,382 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,655
Posts18,399,237
Members73,817
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.111s Queries: 15 (0.005s) Memory: 0.8963 MB (Peak: 1.0513 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 18:54:00 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS